The Legend of Midna: Twilight Creed
by Llwynog the Bard
Summary: In the year 2012, Adam Fox discovers something interesting about his family tree, as well as a nefarious plot. Rated M just to be certain. Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the Legend of Zelda or Assassin's Creed franchises.
1. Enter the Animus

_Hey everyone. First off, I don't own Legend of Zelda or Assassin's Creed. There's my disclaimer or whatever it is. I haven't remembered to do one in long enough to remember what it's even called. Anyhow, this is my first crossover, and it's also my self-insert. You knew it would happen eventually. I won't say anything else because I don't want to spoil it. So here we go with LoM: Twilight Creed. R&R plz._**  
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><p><strong>The Legend of Midna: Twilight Creed<strong>

**Chapter One: Enter the Animus**

I'm not sure how much time I've got left here, so I'm writing this now while I've still got access to a computer. My name is Adam Fox, and I'm an Assassin. If you're reading this, so are you, and the first thing you should know is that my team and I are safe for now. We've currently got our base of operations in an old Ministry of Defense facility in Salisbury Plain, but there's been talk of moving soon. The Templars are bound to be on to us by now. The leader of our team, Caroline Hawking, thought it would be a good idea for me to write down my experiences up to this point in our search for the Pieces of Eden. At first I was iffy about it, but after I thought about it, I realized she was right. It turns out that the POE's that everyone thought were lost weren't actually lost at all. I know, because I encountered one during my time in the animus. Once our computer technician, Ramayan Gupta, gets our animus up and running, I'll hopefully be able to find some of the others. You probably will want to send this out to the other Assassin teams, because they'll want to know this as well. Have you ever heard the saying "the truth is stranger than fiction"? Well, this time the truth is completely bat-shit insane.

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><p>"What-" I muttered to myself as I was jostled awake. When my vision finally cleared, I didn't recognize anything. I was in a bed, but the room I was in looked more like a hospital room than anything else, like a cross between a hospital and a prison, really. "Hey, where the fuck am I?"<p>

"Good morning, Mr. Fox," said a man who I hadn't noticed standing next to my bed. "I do hope you're ready to work, because we've got a lot to do." Upon looking up, I saw that he wasn't much older than me, probably not even 30.

"Who are you?" I asked. I'd only seen this man for ten seconds and I already despised him.

"My name is Dr. Lawrence Mason. I'm the director at this particular Abstergo facility."

"Abstergo…" I said as I got to my feet. "Why does that name seem familiar to me?"

"You've probably seen our adverts," said Dr. Mason. "Antidepressants, mostly, but probably other drugs as well. We are the largest multinational pharmaceutical corporation in the world, after all."

"Well, what do you want with me?" I asked.

"We were hoping you could help us with some…research," Dr. Mason said. "We went ahead and took the liberty of bringing you here."

"Obviously," I said, "but why me? I can't possibly be of any use to you. I'm a jazz musician for Christ's sake."

"I believe you'll find that's where you're wrong," said Mason. The grin on his face was sickening, like he knew something bad was about to happen and he was trying his hardest not to give away the surprise. "Let me ask you, Adam, have you ever felt like you didn't quite belong?"

"At times," I said, "but I still don't see what I have to do with anything."

"Follow me, Mr. Fox," Mason said. "Soon it will all make sense." However counter intuitively, I followed Mason out of the room into a larger one. There was nothing in this room except a few chairs, an office desk, and something that looked like a roller table what they use at the chiropractor.

"I need you to lay down, Mr. Fox," said Mason.

"What is this thing?" I asked, not about to get on the table until I knew what it was for.

"This is part of the research I was telling you about," said Mason. "I've been in correspondence with a colleague of mine in Italy by the name of Dr. Warren Vidic, and he said that this machine is the key to Abstergo's future. It's called an animus."

"What is it for?" I asked as I lay down. Once I was flat against the animus, a screen came out of one side to arc across my face.

"I told you that Abstergo is a pharmaceutical company," said Mason. "Warren and I have been talking about anti-aging drugs, recently and we believe the animus could help us develop a drug that would eliminate the effects of aging altogether. Through his research, Dr. Vidic has discovered that our DNA acts as an archive, storing not only our memories, but the memories of our ancestors as well. We believe that genetic memory, as he puts it, could be the answer."

"And you want me to help you," I said.

"Precisely," said Mason. "Now just lay back and let the animus synchronize you with this memory. I'm going to start with an early one to get you used to the synchronization process. Warren has said that his subjects have had trouble jumping in, especially his last two subjects, 16 and 17." He set to work typing at the computer linked to the animus. "Alright, Mr. Fox, here we go."

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><p>"You there, Llwynog," shouted one of the prison guards, "you're free to go." I immediately knew something was strange about this memory because the guard had blue skin. Maybe this was a dream my ancestor had…<p>

"Why the sudden change of heart?" I asked (or Llwynog asked, I guess). "A moment ago you were talking about how you'd keep me in here until you or I died, whichever came first."

"By royal decree, you're free to go." The guard did not seem at all pleased about this. "Don't feel special, though. His Majesty Link, King of Twilight, has decreed that all those imprisoned by Zant would be freed."

"Send my gratitude to His Majesty, then," I said (or Llwynog said, or whoever), as I ducked under the guard's arm and made my way out of the prison. Once outside, I made my way to the nearest body of water. The world around me was so bizarre; I'm not sure how I knew that water existed. The sky was purple with thick black clouds, and the whole world seemed to be in a constant state of twilight. When I finally did reach a small pond, I was startled by my reflection. Where I had expected to see Adam Fox, I was greeted by a completely new face. This one had light blue skin and emerald hair that hung down in front of his face. His eyes were yellow with red irises, and his ears were pointed. Half of his body was black, with a green emblem over the heart that resembled sort of a windmill. On the left arm was a silver arm band, with the same black markings snaking down the arm. I don't know if the black markings continued on down the legs or not because a purple pair of billowing pants covered them. Black marks did cover the ankles, though, and in fact, the entire right foot was black. A green emblem like a Celtic knot covered the top of the black foot as well.

"This must be a dream," I said as I stared back at the stranger. "There's no way this is real." As soon as the words had left my mouth, everything around me became blurry, and soon the world was covered in a thick fog. Before long, I could no longer see at all.

Finally my vision cleared, and I was able to catch a glimpse of the animus screen as it retracted into the machine.

"I think that's enough for today, Mr. Fox," said Mason. "You at least have had a taste of the animus. Best not to push it, eh?"

"Wait a minute," I said, gasping for breath. I think I was in a mild state of shock. "You're telling me all that was real?"

"Oh yes," said Mason. "You have special DNA, it seems. However, I had to pull you out. You see, you were still thinking like Adam Fox, which means your psyche was rejecting the synchronization process." He stopped for a moment and fiddled with his name badge. "Oh well, go and get some rest, Mr. Fox. It's a shame we couldn't have gone any longer in the animus, but I'd rather not rush it and get it right than make mistakes. Thankfully we at the London branch aren't under as tight a deadline as Dr. Vidic and his team."

"Deadline?" I asked. "Deadline for what?"

"All in due time, Mr. Fox," said Mason, as he headed for a set of sliding steel doors. "Everything will become clear in time. But you'd better rest up, as I said. You're in shock, and we've got a long day ahead of us tomorrow." As the words left his mouth, the doors shut behind him and he was out of sight.

Slowly I got to my feet and shuffled towards my room. As I thought about the past however many minutes, my mind was racing with questions, but one stood out among the throng:

"What the fuck?"

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><p><em>AN: Adam Fox is NOT my real name, just so you know. I don't think I should have to say that, but at the same time, I sorta feel like I have to. Llwynog is as close to the real me as you're going to get in this story._


	2. Memory Sequence 1

_Hey everyone, sorry it's been so long since I've updated. I've had a lot going on, and I've also been lazy, all at the same time. I'm not sure if I did a disclaimer for the last chapter, but I don't own Zelda (Nintendo) or Assassin's Creed (Ubisoft). Also, thank you to Twilirupee for allowing me to use a character of hers. R&R plz._**  
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><p><strong>The Legend of Midna: Twilight Creed<strong>

**Chapter Two: Memory Sequence 1**

"Get up, Mr. Fox," said Mason, abruptly wrenching me from what little sleep I'd been able to get the previous night. The failed synchronisation with the animus had taken its toll on me, but Mason didn't seem to care…fucking prick.

"I guess you want me back in that machine, don't you," I said, my speech slurred. I was still mostly asleep.

"Yes," Mason affirmed. "We've got a lot of work to do and I'd like to get started as soon as possible." He then led me out of his room to where the animus stood. I approached it and laid down on it.

"You know what I think my favorite thing about you is, Mr. Fox?" Mason asked as the animus screen arced over my head.

"What's that, doc?"

"You're cooperative," Mason said. "Now, let's begin, shall we?" I prepared myself for the synchronisation process, and soon, the world around me vanished.

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><p>It was good to be free.<p>

I breathed the cool air of the Twilight Realm, relishing every second of it. As the air filled my nostrils, I couldn't believe how accustomed to the stale prison air I had become, nor how badly I had missed the outside air. I felt my lungs expand to their full capacity, ready to explode, and it felt amazing.

Unfortunately, the feeling was not meant to last. As I made my way back to my home in Makevi Village, I passed by a group of men huddled together near a tree. I tried to pay them no mind, and continue on my way home, but something I overheard caught my ear.

"…said he has a plan to revive Zant, yeah?" I could have sworn I heard him say. I knew I should just leave them be and continue on, but resisting Zant was what I had been imprisoned for in the first place. I couldn't let this slide. I slowed my pace, attempting to eavesdrop a bit more, and hopefully find a place I could hide and listen to the rest of their conversation. It was then I spied a large rock formation, which would do nicely. I crouched behind it and listened intently.

"That's right," another of them said.

"How's he plan to do that? I'm positive on the idea, but I don't see how it can be done."

"Why don't you ask him yourself? He's supposed to be here any minute."

At that moment, another figure appeared, but he stood out from the others. While the other men were dressed in run-of-the-mill, every-day clothes, this one was dressed head to toe in black and had a hood covering his head, casting his face in shadow.

He scanned the group momentarily. "I see we're all here," he drawled. His voice struck me in a certain way; it was a beautiful voice, deep and silky, that commanded respect without the need for aggression.

"Master," they all said in unison, dropping to one knee and bowing their heads in reverence.

"Rise," he commanded. They obliged. "Now, we haven't much time." He peered around again. "Unfortunately, we cannot discuss the plan to resurrect His True Majesty as we are not alone." His gaze met my own, his eyes sending blades though me.

"Seize him!" the man in black ordered. "He has already heard too much. We, _I_, cannot allow him to live." The other men darted toward me, all bearing black knives, probably made of obsidian. I had to escape; if they caught me, and the blades were obsidian as I suspected, they would be able to open enough cuts in me quick enough that I would bleed out in minutes. In that moment, my fight-or-flight instinct kicked in, and it chose flight.

I stumbled backwards, but successfully regained my balance and footing. I ran as fast as I could away, not caring where I went, as long as it was away from them.

"Don't let him get away!" I heard them shout.

Blood pounded in my ears as I ran. Each footstep sounded like a bomb exploding. Finally, an amazing sight came into my field of vision. I'm not sure how, but I had stumbled upon the Mirror of Twilight. That meant I must be near the palace. I chanced a glance behind, and saw that I was no longer being pursued.

I stopped to catch my breath. I looked around, and as luck would have it, the King of Twilight, Link, and his wife Midna, were making their way out of the palace. As a matter of course, they were surrounded by bodyguards, but I knew I had to try to warn them of the hooded man's plan. It wouldn't be easy to get near them, maybe even impossible, but I had to try. As I ran toward them, I noticed, on the other side of the palace, the hooded man. Again our eyes met, although I don't know how I knew that from such a distance. In horror, I watched him jettison a bolt of magic from his hand in the direction of the monarchs.

"Your Highness!" I shouted, extending my arm to gain the King's attention. I was too late, though. As the words left my mouth, the hooded man's magic bolt made contact with the palace, dislodging a massive piece of black stone. The Twilight Princess screamed as she was nearly crushed.

"Him!" one the bodyguards shouted, pointing at me. "He just tried to assassinate the Twilight Princess. He must be punished!" Clearly my luck hadn't run completely out, as I was now beset by palace guards. Again, I fled; I knew that that was a fight I would not win. I'm not sure why, but something told me to run for the Mirror of Twilight, so I did.

I reached the Mirror, and hurled myself toward it. Behind me, I could hear the guards shouting. "He's getting away!" "After him!" As I entered the Mirror, all the sound around me disappeared. The Twilight Realm melted around me, and suddenly a new scene appeared. When my surroundings solidified, I found myself in a room made of black stone with two large pillars. It looked familiar, yet incredibly foreign. I saw a hallway leading up and out of the room, so I decided to take it. I needed to find out where I was. I traversed the hallway, and when I exited the other end, I discovered that I was in what appeared to be a place of worship. What seemed strange to me, though, is that there was no statue of the goddesses, as there would normally be in a Hylian temple. I looked around for a moment, wondering at the place where I found myself, and then became acutely aware of the fact that I was not alone.

"_Demonio!_" screamed a woman who pointed at me. Several things I noticed about this woman: her skin was slightly darker than the average Hyrulean, she lacked the distinctive pointed ears of a Hylian, and she spoke in a language I could not understand. However, the other people in the building seemed to, as they all turned to look. Then mass hysteria broke out. Once again, I was forced to flee.

As I sprinted through the narrow streets of this beautiful city, I couldn't help but wonder what she had called me, and why they all seemed so afraid. Then it occurred to me; I have blue skin, pointed ears, and green hair. I darted into an alley to avoid my pursuers, but at every turn it seemed there were more to meet me. I ran and ran through the city, making sharp turns, trying at every chance to break my pursuers' line of sight. As I crossed a bridge to an island in the middle of a river, I saw an enormous building. I sprinted towards it and threw myself at the door. It was unlocked, so I went inside and quickly shut the door behind me before they caught sight of me again.

Shaken and out of breath, but alive, I scanned my surroundings. I appeared to be in either a very lavish home or a public house for some organization. There were tables and chairs in the room I found myself in, and banners that hung on either side of the door frames bearing what appeared to be a capital letter A, but without the bar inside. Just as I was studying the symbol on the banners, two men entered the room from that doorway. One had short, dark hair and wore a dark blue coat over a red doublet, a wide belt cinching the waist. The other wore white robes and cape that covered the left shoulder, falling to about waist length. His robes also sported a hood, although at the time his head was uncovered. Armor covered his shoulders, forearms, midsection, and shins, as well. The one in the red doublet was the first to see me.

"_Chi siete?_" he said. "_Cosa fate qui?_" I didn't have any idea what he said, so I didn't answer.

"_Parlate italiano?_" he asked this time. Still not able to understand, I gave no response.

"_Parlez-vous français? Sprechen Sie Deutsch, vielleicht? _Do you speak English, perhaps?" The others, no, but the last one, I understood somehow.

"English…" I said hesitantly. "What is English?"

"It's what you're speaking," he answered. "It's the language they speak in England, and during the Third Crusade, was the official language of the Holy Land."

"I don't understand," I said. "Who are you, and where am I?"

"Yes, I thought you might be wondering that, given your clearly foreign appearance. My name is Niccolò Machiavelli, and this is Ezio Auditore da Firenze. Right now we are in the Assassin's hideout on _la Isola Tiberina_, in the great city of Roma."

"I still do not understand," I said, ready to flee again if need be. "I thought the Mirror was supposed to take me to Hyrule."

"I believe the Mirror works slightly differently than you've been lead to believe," said the one called Machiavelli. "You see, rather than being a conduit between the Twilight Realm and Hyrule, the Mirror will take you to where you need to be most."

"Niccolò, _di cosa parlate?_" Ezio whispered. "_Questo è un certo tipo di demonio!_"

"This is no demon, Ezio," Machiavelli said, placing a reassuring hand on his friend's shoulder. "No, this is simply a very misunderstood man. He comes from a world other than our own, but connected to it. He is called a Twili." He paused for a moment. "What is your name, _signore?_"

"Llwynog," I said. I wasn't sure why I trusted Machiavelli, but I did. "How do you know of the Twilight Realm?"

"I have been there," he said, casually. "I've also been to Hyrule and Termina. However, the portals I used have since been destroyed. I must know, then, where did you enter into this world?"

"I don't know," I said. "It appeared to be a place of worship. Outside was a very large public square, and an obelisk."

Machiavelli looked at Ezio with excitement. "You know what this means, Ezio?"

"_La Basilica di San Pietro,_" he said. "The vault of Minerva."

"Exactly." Machiavelli then turned to me. "Why did you leave the Twilight Realm? What were you looking for?"

"I needed help," I said. "The King of Twilight and the Twilight Princess were almost assassinated by someone who intends to resurrect the Usurper King."

"Oh dear," Machiavelli muttered. "This is not good. If he believes he can resurrect Zant, he must hold one of the Pieces of Eden. What did this man look like?"

"I did not see his face," I confessed. "All I know is that he was dressed all in black and that he wore a hood."

"I believe I know who this man is," Machiavelli said. "Unless I am mistaken, this man is called Dredloc. If I am correct, he is very dangerous indeed."

"How can he be stopped?" I asked.

"I am not sure," Machiavelli said, "but we must try. We have work to do."

"What is your plan, Niccolò?" Ezio asked. "Is it what I think it is?"

"I believe so," Machaivelli answered. "Shweenog, come with us. Ezio, you know what to do."

"_Sì_," Ezio said. "Shweenog, if you are to stop this man from resurrecting the Usurper King, it is time you learned our ways. It is time for you to become an Assassin."

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><p>The Tiber Island hideout, Ezio, Machiavelli, and everything else around me started to blur, and eventually fade from my vision. After a moment, my vision returned, and I watched as the animus screen receded into the machine.<p>

"Alright, Mr. Fox," said Dr. Mason. "I think that's enough for today. See you tomorrow."

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><p><em>AN: The reason for the spelling change in my name is because that's as close as the Ezio and Machiavelli can get to pronouncing it right._


	3. Memory Sequence 2

_Hey everyone. Here we are again with Twilight Creed. I know it's been a while, but that's how it goes. Anyhow, hope you all enjoy. R&R_**  
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><p><strong>The Legend of Midna: Twilight Creed<strong>

**Chapter Three: Memory Sequence 2**

"Mr. Fox!" Dr. Mason shouted. "Get up!"

I got out of bed, and nearly fell over from grogginess. "Jeez," I said, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes, "what's up your ass, doc?"

"I'll tell you what's up my ass, Mr. Fox," he snapped. "The board of directors has been breathing down my neck since you synched up yesterday. Apparently they want this done soon, as in 'by next Saturday'."

"You know," I said as I made my way toward the animus, "you still never have told me what you guys are looking for."

"That information is disclosed on a need-to-know basis," he said, "and as it turns out, you don't need to know. Now get into the machine."

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><p>"<em>Bene,<em>" Ezio said as I entered the main room of the Assassin's headquarters. "It's my job to train you to be an Assassin. Are you ready to begin?"

"I am," I said, bowing to show my respect for my new master.

"Please," he said, "you have no reason to bow. Do not think of me as your master. I will teach you, and you will learn, simple as that. Now, the first, and probably the most important, thing you will learn is the art of free-running. Sometimes you will have to move quickly to intercept a target, or you will need to flee and escape the guards. Free-running can literally save your life."

"I'm ready, _ser Ezio_," I said, using the phrase I had heard other Assassin recruits saying.

"_Va bene_," he said. "In addition to free-running, you will also learn how to gather information like an Assassin should. Come with me." He led me through the hideout to a grated structure at the end of a corridor.

"What is this?" I asked.

"It is a tunnel entrance," he said. "These are scattered all over Roma, and they make travelling through the city much quicker. When I first came to this city, I had to either walk or go on horseback. Roma is quite large, as I'm sure you've discovered already. We need to use this one now, as where we are going is on the opposite side of the city."

We traversed the tunnel system, and I couldn't help but feel as though we'd only gone twenty feet when we were already climbing up a ladder. Once we were out of the tunnel, I found myself in what seemed like a tiny self-contained community. There was a tailor, a bank, a blacksmith, and horse stables, but the focal point was the tavern. That's where we were headed. Inside it was a sight to behold; rough around the edges, full of ruffians and people of generally ill-repute, et cetera. In short, it was a fun place to be. However, we were not meant to stay in the tap room, as Ezio led me to a room at the back, where a man in a hooded cloak sat at a bench-seated table.

"Ah, Ezio," he said as we entered. He stood and hugged his friend as though it had been years since they'd seen each other. "How have you been, _amico mio?_ It feels like years since I saw you last."

"_Sì_," he responded jovially. "Unfortunately, this isn't just a friendly visit. I need to ask a favor of you."

"Anything for you, Ezio," he said. "How may I be of service to you?"

"This is…eh…_Shweenog_," he said, successfully mispronouncing my name. "He wishes to become an Assassin, and I could think of no one better to teach him the ways of the thieves than you."

"Of course you couldn't," said the hooded man. "There is no one better than me. _Salute, signore,_" he said, addressing me this time. "I go by many names, but you can call me La Volpe."

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><p>"<em>Bene<em>," said La Volpe as we exited what I had learned was actually the Thieves Guild headquarters. "Now, we will begin with the skills required in free-running. I'm sure you know how to run and jump and climb around on things. Free-running is about traversing long distances in the fastest manner possible. Now, here is our route." He pointed out the route we would follow: onto the roof of the horse stables, then on top of the strip that contained the blacksmith, bank, and tailor, and then to the roof of the Guild.

"That's not too bad," I said.

"We're starting from over there," said La Volpe, pointing to an area a rather long distance away. "We will run from there, and then complete the rest of the course without losing momentum." I soon realized that this would not be as easy as I had thought.

We rode out to the starting area on horseback, and left them with two of La Volpe's men. La Volpe crouched, ready to fly at a moment's notice. I copied him, assuming that's what I should do.

"_Sei pronto?_" he asked me, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"_Sì,_" I answered.

"Very well," he said. "Begin!" As the words left his mouth, he darted away faster that the bolt of a crossbow. I couldn't believe it; I'd never seen anyone run that fast before. I fought hard, blood pounding in my ears, but still I could barely keep up with him. When finally we reached the horse stable, I knew things were about to become even more difficult. I ran against the side of the building, turning forward motion into upward motion, and for a moment I thought perhaps it wouldn't be as difficult as I'd imagined. It was then that I lost my footing and fell, slamming my chin hard into the roof of the stable. I fell to the ground, a bit dazed, but still aware of everything around me.

"You'll have to do better than that if you want to be an Assassin!" I heard La Volpe chide from farther along the course. I got to my feet, shook the dazedness out of my head, and tried again. This time I was successful in reaching the top. It was then just a matter of making my way around the course, until finally I was faced with climbing the building to reach the roof of the inn.

"Remember," La Volpe called, "there is always something to grab onto, no matter how unlikely it seems." I took his words into consideration, and began to climb, using overlarge bricks, window sills, anything I could possibly grab onto. I was just about to reach the top, when the brick I had a hold of came loose, and I fell. Before I could plummet to my death, however, La Volpe's hand shot out and caught mine, and he pulled me up.

"Not bad for your first time," he said approvingly, "but remember: out in the real world, no one will be there to catch you." I nodded, saying nothing, and we made our descent down the building.

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><p>"Alright," said La Volpe, as we stood on the roof of the Tiber Island headquarters. "You have learned to free-run, and with practice you will be fine at it. Now it is time for you to learn the skills necessary to gather information."<p>

"I am ready, _signore_," I said.

"Good. Now, there are three main skills you will need to learn: eavesdropping, pick-pocketing, and interrogation."

"Interrogation?" I asked. "I thought part of being an Assassin was remaining unseen."

"_Sì,_" said La Volpe, "but, unfortunately, sometimes that isn't possible. Which reminds me, before I tell you any more…" He rummaged around in his belt before producing a dagger. "Take this," he said. "Now I will tell you how to execute each of these skills. To eavesdrop, you must remain inconspicuous, either by hiding, blending into the crowd, or sitting on a bench near your target. Then all you have to do is listen. To pick-pocket, follow your target and take what you're after while he's not looking. If he stops, you must pretend as though you have no interest in him. Interrogation is more involved. You must follow your target to a secluded area, away from where people can see you, and then do what you must to force him to divulge the information you seek. However, once this is done, you can't allow him to live, as it would compromise the Brotherhood. That is why I gave you the dagger."

"I am ready," I said.

"Not quite," said La Volpe. "You know how to gather information, but you will still draw too much attention. In case you hadn't noticed, you are the only person in all of Roma with blue skin and green hair. Those affiliated with the Brotherhood do not shy away from you because they know who and what you are, but the rest of the world does not. Lucky for you, Ezio can solve that. Come." Together we went back inside the headquarters.

"_Ser Ezio,_" said La Volpe. "I have instructed our new friend on how to gather information. I believe now the only thing he is missing is a way to remain discreet."

"_Sì,_" Ezio agreed. "Schweenog, it is time you were presented your Assassin robes. From this point on, you are an official Assassin recruit. Now, there is something important we must do. Go put on your robes and then meet me back here."

I took the bundle of clothes from him and went off to the back of the hideout. I held them out to admire them before I put them on. Ezio's robes were white, with a red lining to his cape. It seemed Machiavelli had taken my Twili heritage into consideration when these were designed, however. They were essentially the same design as Ezio's, in the style of the Italian Renaissance, except they had shades of midnight blue and deep purple, with a green lining to the cape. There was also a pair of leather boots and gauntlet-style gloves. I put on my robes, boots, and gloves; it felt strange to wearing so much clothing. I then went to admire myself in a mirror. I felt intimidating, like I was a real Assassin. The best part, though, was that the hood obscured enough of my face that no one would notice my blue skin. I tucked my dagger into a sheath at my hip and returned to the main room of the hideout.

"Well, look at you," said La Volpe. "You look like an Assassin." I gave no response, but his words meant a great deal to me.

"You have nearly everything you need," said Ezio. "There is just one thing missing. However, we will have to travel in order for you to receive it. Gather your things," he said. "We leave immediately for Milano."

* * *

><p>I was very tired once we finally reached Milano, and was grateful to be able to stretch my legs again. All those hours in the carriage were miserable, and I dreaded the thought of returning to Roma.<p>

"He'd better still be here," I heard Ezio mutter to himself. He was heading towards a brick building some distance away, and I followed, assuming Ezio knew where he was going. He went up and knocked on the door, which was soon answered by a bearded man in a red velvet beret.

"Ezio, _fratello mio! Come stai?_" said the bearded man.

"_Sto bene, e tu?_"

"_Bene,_" he said. "And who is your friend, Ezio?"

"Ah, yes," Ezio said. "This is…eh…"

"Llwynog," I finished for him.

"_Grazie_," he said. "I would like you to meet my best friend, Leonardo da Vinci."

"It is an honor," said Leonardo. "Any friend of Ezio's is a friend of mine. What can I do for you?"

"Shweenog needs a blade," said Ezio. "I was hoping you could build him one, like you did for me. Also, I was wondering if you had reconsidered my offer to join the Order."

"_Per piacere,_ but my answer is still no," said Leonardo. "I respect the Order's goals, but that life is not for me." He paused for a moment. "However, of course I can construct a blade for him. It will take no time at all. Please, come in. _La mia casa è la vostra casa._"

Inside was like nothing I had ever seen before. It was like an art museum, a science lab, a workshop, and everything else in between all mixed into one, as well as having all the furnishings of someone's home. Leonardo had already set to work.

"You're lucky you came when you did," he said over his work. "A few more days and you would have missed me."

"_Di cosa parli?_" Ezio asked.

"I'm leaving for Francia soon," Leonardo replied. "Re Francesco…_scusa_, Roi François - I suppose I should get in the habit of saying it in French now – has contracted me to work for him now. He has given me Clos Lucé, so that's where I'm going."

"What is that?" Ezio asked.

"It is a manor house near to the Château d'Ambroise."

"Well," said Ezio, "that sounds like a good deal."

"_Sì_, I thought so," said Leondardo. "Plus, he's the King of Francia. What was I going to do, tell him no?"

"He has a point," I added.

"You don't say much, do you?" Leonardo asked, addressing me this time.

"I learned a long time ago that it's better to keep my mouth shut."

"That seems wise, anymore," he said. "There we are, finished. Would you like to do the honors, Ezio?"

"No, I think you should," Ezio said. "After all, we might never see you again."

"Very true," Leonardo agreed. "Very well, come here, Llwynog."

"You said my name right," I said, a bit incredulous. So far, no one had been able to get the initial sound right.

"I am a man of many talents, _signore_," Leonardo said. "Now, give me your left forearm." I extended my arm, not sure what he wanted me to do. "Turn it over," he said, "so that the palm of your hand faces up." I did so. "Now, here we are," he said, and fastened a leather bracer to my arm. Then he fitted some other mechanism to the straps that held it on.

"What is this?" I asked.

"It is something that all Assassins use," said Ezio. "I know how to build them, but after what Machiavelli told me, I knew I could never forgive myself if I gave you one of my construction. You need the best, and the best only comes from this man."

"You flatter me," Leonardo said, "but I appreciate your sentiment. Now," he said, turning to me, "you see this trigger? That is how you operate this mechanism. Give it a try." I used the trigger he showed me, and from my forearm sprang a small, but incredibly sharp blade. Using the same trigger, I retracted it.

"This is the hidden blade," said Ezio. "You will find it invaluable as an Assassin."

"This is incredible," I said.

"_Grazie_, Leonardo," Ezio said, "but we must return to Roma. I wish you could come back, but I understand your situation. The best of luck to you."

"_Grazie_, Ezio," Leonardo said. "I hope your endeavors prove fruitful."

* * *

><p>"Are you ready for your first mission?" Ezio asked me, once we had returned to the Tiber Island headquarters.<p>

"I am," I affirmed.

"_Bene_," said Ezio. "Here is what you must do. We have gotten word that someone is planning to strike the Assassin Order. They know that this is our hideout, but we know nothing more than this. Use the skills you have learned to discover who is behind this plot, so that we can take them out before they are able to act."

"As you command, _ser Ezio_," I said. I set off into the city, keeping my eyes and ears open to anything that might give me a lead. It wasn't long after I'd crossed the bridge into the city that I overheard two men talking.

"…when we strike against the Assassins," I heard one say in passing. This caught my interest, so I sat down on a nearby bench and listened.

"Are you sure about this? What if they already know?"

"There's no way they can," said the first one I'd heard. "Even if they do, a message is being delivered to the docks as we speak. Once it's changed hands, there's nothing they'll be able to do."

_The docks_, I thought. _I have to get there quick_. I took the first alley I came to and climbed a ladder up to the rooftops. For there, I took off running, jumping when necessary, in order to reach the docks in as little time as possible. When I reached them, I waited on the rooftops, looking for someone who might be carrying a message. I saw a man standing alone, so I kept my eyes on him. Sure enough, someone else approached and handed him a piece of paper, which he tucked in the back of his belt. I climbed down to the street and followed him. While he wasn't looking, I quickly filched the paper from his belt and continued off in the opposite direction. I took a look at it to see if I could find out what they were planning.

_Dammit,_ I thought to myself. _It's coded. Maybe one of the other Assassins can figure it out._ I continued to keep a lookout for anyone I could gather any kind of information from. Eventually I passed a man spouting off in front of a crowd about the Assassins.

"The Assassins may have freed us from the Borgia, but they continue to take the lives of men and women all across the city. Indeed, all of Italia is in danger of their blade. They are a menace, and as long as they remain here, no one is safe!" When he was finished, he turned and headed off into the center of the city. I followed him, and when no one was looking, I grabbed him by the collar of his doublet and tossed him into a deserted alley. I took him by the chin and held my dagger to his throat.

"Tell me what you know about the conspiracy against the Assassins!" I said in his ear, loud enough that he could hear, but no one else.

"I have nothing to say to you," he said through gritted teeth, "other than 'well done'."

"What did you say to me?" I demanded.

"I said, 'well done', Shweenog," he said.

"Who are you," I demanded, "and how do you know my name?"

"It's me," he said, "La Volpe."

"La Volpe?" I asked, incredulous. It couldn't be La Volpe; he wouldn't betray the Brotherhood like this. Then he turned to face me, and sure enough, it was him.

"You did very well," he said. "We have been watching you this whole time. Everyone you've gotten information from has been my men."

"What are you saying?" I asked.

"This was all a test," said La Volpe. "This was designed to see how you would do in the field, and you have performed excellently. There is no plot against the Assassins."

"So none of this was real," I said.

"Exactly," said La Volpe. "Come, we should return to _la Isola Tiberina_. I believe Machiavelli has plans for you."

* * *

><p>As I walked with La Volpe, my vision started to blur until I was blind. When my vision finally returned, I was once again at Abstergo Industries.<p>

"That's all for today, Mr. Fox," said Mason. "You've done very well. Now go get some rest."

* * *

><p><em>AN: The sound that the name Llwynog starts with, that everyone but Leonardo mispronounces, is a sound that as far as I know only occurs in Welsh and Nahuatl. To do it right, the tongue should be in place to make an 'L' sound, but instead of that, air is forced out. That's why the Ezio and La Volpe say it like 'sh'._


	4. Memory Sequence 3

Hey folks, I know it's been far too long since I've updated. I just really have not had the time. Hopefully this will do for a while. Enjoy. Also, I don't own any Assassin's Creed or Zelda anything. If I did, I'd be swimming in a room full of money right now.**  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>The Legend of Midna: Twilight Creed<strong>

**Chapter Four: Memory Sequence 3**

"Mr. Fox!" barked Mason.

"Yeah, yeah," I muttered as I dragged myself out of bed. "Get into the machine, I know."

"Very good, Mr. Fox," Mason sniggered as he strolled over to his desk. "I see I've finally got you trained to do this without any questions."

"Oh, I've got questions," I said blearily. "I just know there's no point in asking."

* * *

><p>"Llwynog," said Machiavelli, "eccellente. I have some news that I believe you will be interested to hear."<p>

"What is that?" I asked, giving Machiavelli a short bow.

"I have been thinking it over, and Ezio agrees. It is time for us to travel to the Twilight Realm. We can all benefit from this, as we believe Dredloc to be in the possession of one of the Pieces of Eden."

"_Non capisco_," I said, determined to use more Italian when speaking to Ezio and Machiavelli. "What are these Pieces of Eden you keep mentioning?"

"They are very powerful artifacts," Machiavelli explained, "created by Those Who Came Before. We are still not entirely sure who they were, but we do know that they created the Pieces of Eden to enslave humanity. As you can imagine, they are very dangerous in the hands of one who wishes to use them as a weapon."

"And you believe Dredloc possesses one?"

"_Sì_," said Machiavelli. "It is the only way I can think of that Zant could be resurrected. If he does possess a Piece of Eden, it is imperative that he be stopped before it is too late."

"So where do we go from here?" I asked, eager to stop Zant from being resurrected, and to bring retribution to Dredloc for his attempt on the monarchs' lives.

"To the _Basilica di San Pietro_," said Machiavelli. "That is the place you described to us when you first arrived in Roma, and we believe that the Vault of Minerva is where the portal you used is located."

We set off from the Tiber Island hideout to the Basilica. When we finally arrived, Mass was already in session.

"You had better pull your hood a little farther forward," Ezio suggested before opening the door. "We'll need to wait until Mass is finished before we can enter the vault, and we don't want to risk anyone mistaking you for a _demonio_ again."

"If we need the Basilica empty," I said, "wouldn't it make more sense for me to go in undisguised? It would empty out faster and we could get on with it."

"No," said Machiavelli. "That would cause too great of an uproar, and we don't want to draw unnecessary attention to ourselves." We entered the Basilica and found seats in a pew at the back. We went through all the motions (Ezio and Machiavelli may have even been sincere in them, I wouldn't know) until finally the Basilica emptied. Then we set to work. Ezio opened the vault just as he had when he first discovered it, and we entered. Finally we reached a rectangular room of black marble. Then I saw something I recognized.

"Here," I said, indicating a marking on the wall. "It's the mark of the Twili. This must be the way." I placed a hand to the mark, and instantly a gateway just like the Mirror of Twilight opened up before us.

"Well," said Machiavelli, "it seems we have found our portal. _Messer_ Llwynog, lead the way." Emboldened by Machiavelli addressing me as such, I stepped one foot into the portal and immediately felt myself being swept away through it.

* * *

><p>When I finally touched down, the air that filled my nostrils was much colder than what I had breathed moments before. I felt good here; the black earth, the black clouds, the orange sky, this was what was familiar to me. Finally I was home. Unfortunately, I could not say the same for my companions.<p>

"_Cazzo!_" Ezio spat as he touched down in the Twilight Realm. "It's freezing here! How can you stand it?"

"This is his home, Ezio," Machiavelli said through gritted teeth, "although I must agree; we should get inside, out of the cold."

"_Va bene_," I said without even thinking about it, "but if you think this is cold, you should come here in the winter. This is nothing compared to that time of year." I started off in the direction of my house, when I noticed the Italians were heading straight to the Palace.

"_Dove andate?_" I called out. "My house is this way!"

"We aren't going to your house," Machiavelli called back. "We need to go to the Palace." I sprinted back to where they were and followed in their wake.

"_Scusi?_" I said. "What do you mean?"

"Just what I said," Machiavelli insisted. "We need to enter the Palace." It was about that time that we reached the Palace gate, where two guards wielding pikes stopped us in our tracks.

"Turn back, humans," the guard on the right said. "You are not welcome here."

"Wait," said the guard on the left, narrowing his eyes. "Isn't that Twili the one who tried to assassinate the King?"

"It is!" the other one cried. The two of them lowered their pikes so that the spiked heads pointed directly into my chest. "Kill him!"

Before any of us knew what had happened, Ezio had already sprung into action. In no time, both guards had been disarmed, and now Ezio was crouched over both of them with a hidden blade half an inch from each of their throats.

"What is going on here?" said another voice from inside the Palace. It was followed the King of Twilight and his wife as they came hurrying down the steps to where we stood.

"What is the meaning of this?" Midna shrieked. Then her eyes widened with fury when they landed on me. "You! This is the second time you've tried this. I'll have your head!"

"With all due respect," said Machiavelli, "I believe you are mistaken. That is precisely why we have come here. You see, although you believe he did, Llwynog, in fact, did not try to assassinate you." He then turned to Link. "Furthermore, we believe we know who is behind it."

"Are you certain?" Link asked. "If so, we must not waste any more time."

"Link," Midna snapped. "Am I to understand that you actually believe what this man says?"

"Of course," Link said calmly. "I believe him, and so should you. Furthermore, I would trust Machiavelli with my life."

"You know him?" Midna was nearly beside herself.

"Clearly," said Link. "_Laa shay'a waqi'un moutlaq bale kouloun moumkine_."

"What was that?" Midna demanded. "What did you just say?" Then a grin spread across Link's face as he looked to Machiavelli, then to Ezio, and then to me. An unspoken understanding occurred between the four of us, and it was almost as if what happened next had been rehearsed.

Link began with, "Nothing is true."

"Everything is permitted," Machiavelli answered.

"We work in the shadows," said Ezio.

"To serve the light," I finished.

Then together we all said, "We are Assassins."

* * *

><p>Disappointment flooded over me as I saw the arc of the animus screen receding. I didn't want to be back here in this shitty place, I wanted to be in the Twilight Realm with Ezio and Machiavelli.<p>

"Well, well, well," sneered Mason. "Interesting, Mr. Fox. Very interesting, indeed. I wish I could keep you in the machine longer, but we don't want any harm to come to you."

"That's thoughtful of you," I retorted as I forced myself into a sitting position.

"Oh, it's not really for your benefit," said Mason. "It's the problem of not being able to explore Llwynog's memories if your body's been torn apart. Or if you've gone mad, that won't help either. No, I'm afraid we have to stop for now."

"You really are a bastard, you know that?" I said as I made my way back to my room.

"I may be a bastard, Mr. Fox," Mason called out as he headed towards the doors that led to who-knows-where, "but I'm also the one in control of your life from here on out, so there's really not a damn thing you can do about it, is there?" Then he stepped through the doors and was out of sight.

The doors to my room shut behind me, and I got into bed. I didn't want to sleep, I wanted to be back in the animus, but I couldn't do anything about my situation, so I resigned myself to sleep once again.

"What a fucking git."


	5. Memory Sequence 4

_I know, folks, you thought it'd never get here. Well, after months of waiting, here is Chapter 5 of LOM: Twilight Creed._

* * *

><p><strong>The Legend of Midna: Twilight Creed<strong>

**Chapter Five: Memory Sequence 4**

"Mr. Fox, if you would be so kind," said Mason in a creepily kind fashion, "could you possibly get up and come get in the animus?"

"What are you being so nice for, Doc?" I asked, just to stoke the fire.

"They've sent an intern to observe this animus section," he admitted, lowering his voice so that only I would be able to hear if there was anyone else around.

I followed him out to the main room with the animus, and right away it was already the best day in the real world I'd had in a long time. Waiting next to the animus holding a clipboard was a smokin' hot redhead, a little heavier than maybe most people would like, but I like a girl with a little more meat.

"Dr. Mason," she said, and I was even more turned on when I heard the slight Irish lilt in her voice.

"Caroline," he replied blandly. He turned his attention to me. "Mr. Fox, this is Caroline Hawking. She'll be accompanying our animus sessions."

"So you're Adam Fox," she said, sizing me up. "Not quite what I expected, but you'll do."

"Thanks?" I said. What do you say to that?

"Alright, enough chit-chat," Mason insisted, going back to his usual dickish self. "Mr. Fox, get in the animus, if you don't mind, so we can get on with this."

* * *

><p>"Your Highness," I said, bending to one knee, "you are an Assassin?"<p>

"Indeed I am," replied Link, the King of Twilight. "As such, I insist you call me Link. We are brothers, after all."

"Why didn't you ever bother to mention this to me?" Midna demanded.

"If there had been need of us, I would have told you," Link said simply. "As it was, there was never a need for the Brotherhood here in the Twilight Realm until now."

"And you need us desperately," said Machiavelli. "We have reason to suspect that there are several of your countrymen who are planning to use a Piece of Eden to resurrect the Usurper King Zant."

"You're not serious," Link insisted. "No one would be mad enough."

"It is true, Your Highness," I said. "I heard them myself, plotting to resurrect the Usurper King."

"Who were they?" he demanded. "We should have them arrested and executed before things get out of hand."

"Forgive me, Your Highness, but I know not their names," I confessed.

"It is of little importance," said La Volpe. "Shweenog has learned well the ways of the thieves. He and I will sniff out these conspirators, and justice will be swift."

"Link," Midna interjected, "you can't just trust these guys! You barely know half of them."

"I would trust Machiavelli with my life," said Link, "and I have heard of La Volpe's skills as a thief; he is legendary. And of course I have heard of Ezio Auditore da Firenze, the new Mentor of the Assassins. If they have faith in Llwynog, so do I, and I suggest you do the same."

"Hmph," Midna harrumphed.

"It's settled, then," Link declared. "Llwynog and La Volpe will track down any kind of lead on these conspirators, and we'll go from there. I'll have a room arranged to function as headquarters in the palace. There is a chapel in the palace town with a secret passage behind the altar. Use it when you come and go."

"You surprise me at every turn, Niccolò," said Ezio. "It seems you have friends in every corner of the world, but it is good. Our endeavors should be easier knowing that the ruler of this realm is one of our own."

"I'm afraid I cannot guarantee your safety during your missions," Link said. "While it's true that we work toward the same ends, the guards still see Llwynog as a would-be assassin against the crown, and will likely label you guilty as well by association."

"This is true," La Volpe chimed in. "We will have to allow the guards to view us as a threat. To order them not to attack us would expose, and subsequently compromise, the Brotherhood."

"_Sì_," Ezio said pensively. "Your Highness, please forgive the losses to your guard that may be necessary. I do not wish to shed blood that unknowingly is loyal to our cause, but it may be unavoidable at times."

"Don't worry," said Link. "We have a large force available. While it will be unfortunate, it will not be something we won't be able to recover from."

"Then, once again, it is settled," announced Machiavelli. "Llwynog and La Volpe will go out into the city and discover who is behind this plot to resurrect the Usurper King. I trust you can handle yourselves?"

"_Certamente_," said La Volpe. "We will not return until we have discovered something."

* * *

><p>Carefully La Volpe and I crept along the rooftops of the Palace city. Unlike in Italia, these structures were familiar to me; the perfectly smooth, black stone walls and low-angled roofs, the narrow gaps between buildings. This was home. It occurred to me as we stalked above the streets that travelling these rooftops was not that different from doing so in Roma. Perhaps our worlds were not that different after all…<p>

"Do you have any ideas as to where we should begin our search?" asked La Volpe as we traversed the roofs. "This is your turf, after all, not mine."

"I'm beginning to think our worlds are very much alike," I said. "Just as in Roma, I think the best place to begin here is the Wllyhoau, the main plaza in this city."

"I won't even begin to try to repeat what you just said," La Volpe snickered under his breath, "but yes, I agree. Large public gathering places generally are good places to start." We descended from the rooftops and blended into the crowd, keeping our eyes and ears open for anything that might give us a lead.

"Shweenog," I heard La Volpe say in low tones so that only I would hear, "do you realize that there are two men staring quite intently at you?"

"I was not," I answered in the same hushed tones. "Why do you suppose they would do that? Unless…"

"They are the men you overheard before your unintended trip to Roma? Precisely what I was thinking."

"_Vieni con me_," I said. "We must mix in better with the crowd, but keep your eye on them and we will follow where they go."

"Now you are thinking like an Assassin," La Volpe said as we pushed deeper into the crowd.

"You know," I said after a few minutes had gone by, "I'm not entirely certain it's just me they're watching."

"What," scoffed La Volpe. "You think they find me suspicious?"

"Actually, yes," I said, "and we need to move and let them lose sight of us before we act. And actually, I think we need to move now because they're coming this way!" Sure enough, the men who had been watching the two of us started to shoulder their way through the crowd, first at a walk, but they soon broke out into a run.

"The chapel near the palace," said La Volpe. "That's where Link said to find the passage that will lead to our hideout. Get yourself hidden and then make haste to the chapel."

"See you there," I said hurriedly. Immediately I bolted in the opposite direction, shouldering people out of the way until finally I darted into an alley. I followed it down until I came to a ladder. I scaled it as quickly as I could and dove into a rooftop garden nearby

"Thank you, gods," I breathed. I waited until the coast was clear, and then kept to the roofs as I made my way back to the chapel near the Palace.

* * *

><p>"Well," Link demanded as I entered the hideout. "La Volpe says you were unsuccessful in your venture today. Perhaps you have something that will contradict him."<p>

"Yes, and no," I said. All eyes were on me now. "No, in the sense that we were not able to pursue our targets. A fatal flaw I have discovered is that, aside from yourself, humans are still unwelcome here. La Volpe stood out as a human in a sea of Twili, and I fear that the rest of you will as well. Before we can commence further investigations, we will need to procure better disguises, which I'm sure will be no problem. Something to cover the skin as much as possible, and of course more in the style of the Twili. I was also seen as suspicious, in part I think because I am dressed in a more human fashion, but also because I was seen with a human."

"Do you have anything good to report?" asked Ezio, who, while maintaining a calm and collected demeanor, was clearly disappointed in my performance.

"Actually, _sì_, Mentor," I said. "While La Volpe and I were in the Wllyhoau, I was able to successfully pickpocket a pictograph box. I believe these are the men we are after." I held out to Link a small square of film bearing the image of the men we had seen.

"Very well," said Link. "All is not lost to us. I must return to the rest of the palace. I suggest you all rest now. I'll be sending a servant down soon to measure you all so that we may have some better disguises made for you."

"Forgive me, Mentor," I said as Link left the hideout. "I received the best training, and still I failed. I should be cast out of the order for this failure."

"No," Ezio replied. "Shweenog, listen to my words. We have a lead, this pictograph you have brought us. As Link said, all is not lost. And just because you did not do as well as you expected of yourself, do not think that that merits expulsion from the Brotherhood. Do you think everything I have dreamed up has gone according to plan?"

Before I could answer, he turned and headed for another section of the hideout. Still feeling the sting of failure, but a bit consoled, I resigned myself to sleep.

* * *

><p>"Out already, huh Doc?"<p>

"Don't give me that," Mason sneered. "I would've kept you going, but Ms. Hawking insisted we had done all we needed to for the day. The board sent her, so it'd be stupid to go and piss them off."

"A bit twisted logic, but appreciated all the same," I said.

"We'll see you tomorrow, Adam," said Caroline, "bright and early."


	6. Memory Sequence 5

_So, I had a lot of free time on my hands at work today, so here's Ch. 6._**  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>The Legend of Midna: Twilight Creed<strong>

**Chapter Six: Memory Sequence 5**

"Wake up, Adam," said Caroline. "We've got a lot of work to do today."

"Where's the Doc?" I asked stupidly. If that prick wasn't here, who gave a shit where he was?

"He's tied up in a board meeting," she replied, "which is good for us. We can do a lot more good without him."

"Alright, well, let's get on with it, I guess," I sighed. I didn't particularly want to get back in the animus, but doing it with Mason there wouldn't be quite as bad.

* * *

><p>"You expect me to wear this?" demanded La Volpe. "I will look ridiculous!"<p>

"I don't know," said Ezio. "I think I could get used to this." The new disguises for the Italians had been brought to the hideout, and I couldn't help but laugh on the inside as I watched their reactions. The new Assassin robes had been made to suit the individuals. Ezio and Machiavelli's were long and flowing, deep purple embroidered with Twili sigils; typical dress of the Noble class. Machiavelli's also had with it a silver garment akin to a Roman toga to signify his role as a politician. La Volpe, however, had garments suited to his role as a thief; his consisted of a simple black tunic and breeches, identifying him as part of the lower class.

"Of course you could," La Volpe shot back. "You look as though you could buy all of Italia."

"I was referring more to the material these are made of," Ezio said diplomatically. "What is this fabric exactly?"

"Shadow," I said simply.

"What do you mean?" Ezio pressed.

"Just what I said," I said. "In this world we weave pure shadow into fabric. That's why you don't see really any warm colors. You can't very well dye woven shadow; it causes it to dissipate. But as you can see, it's a strong fabric when left on its own, and it's lighter than silk."

"I suppose that is a silver lining around this cloud," said La Volpe.

"There still is the problem of our skin color," Machiavelli said. "Humans are still unwelcome here, minus His Majesty. We could still be found out that way."

"Taken care of," I said matter-of-factly. "Before we leave for missions, you humans will have to apply a layer of blue powder dusting to your faces; thankfully your Assassin robes cover the skin everywhere else. Machiavelli is the only one of you, though, who will not have to do this."

"And why is that?" Ezio asked.

"You see his silver overgarment? That is called an _wym_ in my people's tongue. It signifies his role as a politician. Because of this, his cover can be that he is an ambassador from either Hyrule or Termina, whichever His Majesty decided. Because the people will think he is such, they will not be suspicious of another human's presence near the king."

"Excellent," said Machiavelli. "We have everything we need now to begin a proper investigation. Llwynog, this time I think you and Ezio should go out and find at least one of these men in the pictograph you gave us. I believe Ezio possesses certain, em…talents, that will make it a bit easier."

"Yes," said Ezio. "We must go at once."

"As soon as you put on your makeup," La Volpe snickered under his breath.

* * *

><p>Ezio and I returned to the Wllyhoau to begin our search anew. I did not know what talents Machiavelli had mentioned, but I trusted his judgment. As we weaved between people, it seemed like ages, and I was starting to lose hope, until finally Ezio said, "There."<p>

He nodded in the direction toward the western districts, and began to move with purpose through the crowd. I could see nothing that would inspire such confidence, but I trusted the Mentor's judgment as well, and so I followed, ready to spring into action at a moment's notice. We traversed several alleys until finally we came to a low wall covered in black ivy, and Ezio held a hand up to stop me.

"He is here," said Ezio, and he lowered his hand. "One of them, at least. We will need to proceed with caution. Now, here is my plan."

I listened carefully to Ezio's plan, and when he had finished, I scaled the building from which the wall protruded. Once on the roof, I could see a series of crossbeams that spanned the gap to the next building over, and also that the low ivy-covered wall separated a small garden from the alleys on either side. In the garden stood a shorter, stocky Twili man who appeared to be waiting for something, as he repeatedly glanced impatiently from one alley to the next. It was now or never, and doing as Ezio had instructed, I tossed a knife toward the alley where Ezio and I had stood. The Twili turned to where my blade had struck ground, jumped, and started to hurry away out the other side. Now was my moment. As gracefully as the birds of the air, I launched myself from the rooftop and landed directly in front of him.

"Gah!" he cried upon my sudden appearance. "Whoever you are, leave me alone!" He turned to run, but obstructing his only escape route was Ezio Auditore da Firenze.

"You are going nowhere," declared Ezio, "until you tell us what we want to know."

"I know nothing," he stammered.

"Oh, I think we both know that isn't true," said Ezio. A silent look passed between he and I, and before the Twili could react, I had him in a headlock.

"Now," said Ezio, "tell me who you are."

"My name is Ganym," he sputtered. "Now please, leave me be."

"Not until you tell the rest of what you know," Ezio said, his eyes like cold steel. "Who are you working with?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," said Ganym through gritted teeth.

"Then why did you look so impatient before we met?" I hissed into his ear.

"I told you, I don't know what you're talking about," Ganym insisted. Then he cried out as I kicked his knees out from under him, bringing him to the ground.

"I'll ask you again," said Ezio. "Tell me who you are working with."

"Fine, I'll tell you," said Ganym. "There are three others. Their names are Cathar, and the Demien brothers Raven and Orion. I was only recruited recently to their cause; if they work for a higher power, I do not know it. Now, leave me alone and I swear I will renounce them forever. I am growing tired of Cathar's constant belittlement and the Demiens' games."

"Very well," said Ezio. "There is just one thing more we require of you."

"What is that?"

"Your life," I hissed, and sent my hidden blade shooting out deep into Ganym's neck.

"You did well today," said Ezio as we rose to our feet. "I hope you feel redeemed."

"I do, Mentor," I said.

"Good." He cast his gaze around. "Now, we must hide the body. There is a well nearby. Toss it down there, and then we will return to the hideout together."

"Yes, Mentor," I said. I gathered Ganym's body, now devoid of anything else to give us, and carried it to where Ezio had said. Then I returned and together we set off down the alleys back to the chapel to report back to Machiavelli.

* * *

><p>"So Ganym named three others," said Link. "They should be easy enough to find, at least as far as what city they can be found in is concerned. I'll have them searched in the tax registry and find out where you need to go. You have done very well."<p>

"What were the names?" asked Machiavelli. "We should keep a chart of these conspirators."

"Their names were Cathar, Raven Demien, and Orion Demien," I said. "I've heard of Cathar. I believe he operates a trade cart between here and Makevi Village, but I could be mistaken. It would be better to check and be sure than to follow a hunch and be wrong."

"Truer words have not been spoken," agreed Machiavelli. "Very well, for now we will bide our time and plan."

* * *

><p>"Alright, Adam," said Caroline. "You can get up."<p>

"Already?" I asked. "I was just getting to the good part."

"A sense of humor as well? That's always a good thing to have, especially in these troubling times."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked. "You work for Abstergo, so how troubling could they be?"

"Let me worry about that," she said. "You just rest up for tomorrow."


	7. Memory Sequence 6

_I've got a nice long one for you tod_ay_. Enjoy ch. 7 of Twilight Creed._**  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>The Legend of Midna: Twilight Creed<strong>

**Chapter Seven: Memory Sequence 6**

"Alright Mr. Fox, get up," barked Mason.

"Oh, hey, you're back," I feigned cheerfulness as I drudged toward the machine. Yesterday in the animus hadn't been as bad; even though I still was forced to go in there, he hadn't been in the room with me. Who the hell knew what he did to me while I was in Llwynog's memories?

"Yes, I'm back, Mr. Fox, and I'm better than ever." He did seem to be in a much better mood than before. "The board has extended our deadline by a few days. Apparently things at the Italian branch are going better than expected with Subject 18. It's a shame that 17…didn't work out, but apparently things are going well despite their setbacks. That, and I have a full pack of fags."

"Oh, thank the Lord for that," I sneered sardonically. "What on Earth would we have done otherwise?"

"Shut it and get in the animus," he demanded, and after receiving a "just do it" look from Caroline, I did.

* * *

><p>"Good news, everyone," Link announced as he entered the hideout. "We've located the three that Ganym named. Cathar is in Makevi Village, just as Llwynog had said, and the Demien brothers are in Res Nam."<p>

"Well then," said Machiavelli, "judging from the map of the realm you provided us, I suggest we go after Cathar first, as Makevi Village is much closer than Res Nam."

"I was thinking along the same lines," said Link. "Whoever is going is also in luck. The records show that Cathar is a very wealthy Twili, so you should just be able to follow the money to find him."

"I like that plan," said Ezio. "I think it would be appropriate for La Volpe and myself to accompany Shweenog to Makevi. He knows this world better than we do, so he should be the one to lead the mission. We will be there in case he needs assistance, but I am confident that we will have little, if anything, to do on this mission."

"Very well," said Link. "I'll have transport ready to take you down to the surface. It should be ready in an hour, tops."

"Where will we meet this transport?" asked La Volpe.

"Outside the city, near the Mirror," said Link. "You will know it when you see it." He turned and left the hideout, leaving the rest of us to ponder and plan.

* * *

><p>An hour later we exited the hideout, pushing aside the altar that concealed the passage in. I half wondered if this chapel was ever actually used for anything, or if it was only here to hide the tunnel. We made our way out to where the Mirror of Twilight stood, and there next to it was a vessel akin to a sailing ship, only with propellers like what I had seen on Leonardo's plans for a flying machine. The man was not far off on his design, I noted.<p>

"So this is what is supposed to take us to the surface?" La Volpe demanded.

"I believe so," said Ezio. "I will have to find Leonardo when we return to Italia and tell him about it. This looks very similar to his design."

"I was just thinking the same," I chimed in.

Ezio gave me a knowing look. "Well, we should not waste any more time." Without another word, we boarded the vessel, whose propellers started to spin, driving us forward. Soon we started to drop altitude, and after an indefinite amount of time, we arrived at the surface. The ship hovered roughly ten feet off the ground, and a rope ladder was lowered down for us. We each climbed down in turn, and the ladder was rolled back up.

"Well, Shweenog," said Ezio as the ship sailed out of sight, "what is our next move?"

"We wait," I said definitively. "I used to see ships leaving the port daily to take money down here and goods back up to the Floating City. All we need to do right now is wait for the next ship to arrive, and stow away in the trade cart that meets it."

"I like your thinking," said La Volpe. "We enter the village undetected, and we rest in the process."

"Exactly," I said. Thankfully there was a stable nearby, likely to house the beasts of burden while the businessmen completed their transactions. We hid there and waited for the shipping vessels to arrive. After a few hours, a ship came into view far off in the sky.

"Not much longer now," I said. Sure enough, the ship stopped just as the one we had arrived in did, and a few moments later a trade cart pulled up nearby. The driver got down and brought the beasts over to the stable as the passenger strode over to the ship to wait for the other half of his transaction to climb down from the ship.

"Are those…ostriches?" Ezio asked in what sounded like amazement. "I have seen drawings of such birds in the works of Niccolò Polo, but these do not match what he drew."

"Those are hestur fulgar," I said as we crept around the back of the stable as the driver was bringing the birds inside. They were reminiscent of ostriches, only much larger and solid black. "We don't have horses in this world, but these animals do just as good a job. Hestur fulgar translate roughly to 'horse birds' in your tongue."

"Interesting," Ezio mused, seemingly unable to take his eyes off the birds. "Well, we had better get onto that cart if we are going to."

We crept quietly to where the cart sat and climbed inside, careful not to disturb the covering that it might give away our presence; everything had to look exactly as it had when it arrived. After several tense minutes, we felt the jerk of the cart as it began its return journey to Makevi Village.

I was not sure how long we were cramped in the cart, but finally, after what felt like ages, we slowed to a halt. La Volpe, being the last one to board and therefore nearest to the back of the cart, leaned out to check if the coast was clear.

"We must move now," he hissed. Quickly and quietly, we each slid out from beneath the covering to the trade cart and headed off towards the village. I could not speak for either of the Italians, but I was taken aback when I saw where we were. Apparently Makevi Village was not so much a village and more a small city; the name belied the hustle and bustle of activity in the crowded streets and the number of sights and smells.

"So this is Makevi, is it?" Ezio mused as we interspersed with the crowd. "Well, what is our next move then, Shweenog?"

"Link said that Cathar is very wealthy," I said, trying to remember every detail, "so I think what we need to do is find a vantage point and scan the city for the richest districts."

"A solid plan," said Ezio. "We will split up, then, and meet back here in an hour." Ezio and La Volpe headed off in opposite directions, leaving me to find a starting point for myself. I walked through the streets, trying to take in everything; the sights, the sounds, the smells, everything. Not long after, I came to the Temple of Oni. _There_, I said to myself. _The top of one of the spires should do fine._ Making sure no one was watching, I went around to the back of the building and began to climb. Remembering how La Volpe had taught me, I climbed until I reached the roof. From there I carefully tread toward the front of the building, making sure I kept even footing. Once I had reached the spires, I arbitrarily chose the left one and began to climb. This was much more difficult than climbing the side of the building, as the spires tapered as they neared the top. Once I had climbed as high as I could, I cast my eyes across the city, looking for buildings that appeared to be in good repair. It made sense to me that the newer the buildings looked, the more likely to be a rich district the area would be.

The time arrived that we had agreed to rendez-vous, and when I met the Italians, La Volpe looked disappointed but Ezio seemed hopeful. I was, too.

"So, do you know where we are going now?" Ezio asked me, in such a way that suggested he already knew the answer.

"Yes," I said. "The opposite side of the city from here is where I believe Cathar may be found."

"We have a starting place," said La Volpe. "That's something, at least."

We continued on to the other side of the city, making sure to keep a low profile. Once we reached the rich district, I began my search.

"We will keep a distance from you," said Ezio. "You investigate this man, but we will be prepared to jump in to assist you if need be."

I nodded and turned to blend in with the crowd. I kept my eyes and ears open, hoping for anything that would help me in my search. Finally, as I was passing a book merchant, I overheard someone saying something very interesting.

"It would be a shame if something were to happen to this fine establishment," said a heavy-set Twili to the shop owner, who was clearly terrified of this visitor.

"I have done nothing," he said. "Leave me alone."

"Listen," said the heavy-set one, "Cathar just wants to help. Four hundred rupees every month is a small price to pay for his protection, I think. As I said, it would be a shame for something to happen to this place."

"Fine, I'll give him the money," said the shopkeeper.

"You've made a wise decision," said the burly visitor. Then he turned and continued on.

So Cathar was an extortionist as well as a businessman. It was no wonder, then, why he was so wealthy. It made me wonder how many others he had working for him. I would need to be extra careful if I were to take him down without a mess. I decided the next thing to be done was to follow this man and see where he could lead me.

I followed him through several streets, being sure to keep a distance lest he become suspicious. Eventually we came to a small garden, like the one where Ezio and I had confronted Ganym. I ducked down below the wall so that I would not be seen. Luckily some of the foliage near me was a bit high, so I was able to peer over the wall while remaining undetected.

"So?" said the Twili who was already there waiting. Unlike the one I had followed, he was tall and gangly, but that did not mean that he couldn't still be dangerous.

"We got another one," said the burly one. "Before long the entire city will be under Cathar's control."

"And then what?" demanded the other. "There's still the guard to contend with."

"That's the point," said the big one, clearly exasperated. "From the amount of protection money he'll be bringing in, Cathar will be able to completely buy off the guard. Also, I'm supposed to give you this." He handed a folded up piece of paper to the taller one. "I'm not sure why I couldn't have given it to him, but they wanted me to give to you to give to the boss."

The tall one unfolded it to read. "Haha!" he exclaimed triumphantly. "They were successful. Now it's just a matter of time, isn't it?"

"It looks that way," agreed the big one. "Well, I'd better get on. These people aren't going just hand over their money willingly."

"Too right," said the tall one. "I'll take this to Cathar straight away." Then he turned to go out the alley across from me, and the big one started back towards me. I knew what I had to do, if I could just keep out of sight. I slunk into the shadows, and thankfully the Twili turned away from me and continued on down the alley. I stalked behind him, and before he knew what had happened, I sunk my hidden blade into his back. I could almost feel the metal pierce his heart, and I knew that he was dead before he hit the ground. I thought about hiding the body, but I couldn't waste any more time. I ran through the garden to the other side, and thankfully the taller Twili hadn't reached the open street yet. I crept up behind him, being careful to remain silent, and filched the note from his belt pouch. I had been practicing my pickpocketing, and it had paid off because he showed no signs of having noticed. Then I backed off and continued to follow him until we reached a sprawling mansion that resembled the villa at Monteriggione, the way I imagined it when Ezio had described it to me. Now that I knew what the place looked like, I could take some time to read the note. I found a bench nearby, took a seat, and unfolded the note and read:

_Master Dredloc will be very pleased. Orion and I were recently able to use the Mirror without being seen, and we successfully kidnapped an engineer. When we found him, he had designs all around, so I am confident that we could have taken no better a prisoner than this one. All we need now is your financial backing to being construction of the war machines that Master Dredloc has demanded. Send reply as soon as possible._

Things were starting to become a little clearer. Machiavelli had been correct in guessing that Dredloc was the one pulling the strings, and he was planning on building war machines. No doubt they would be used to attack the Palace of Twilight once Zant had been resurrected, and Cathar was the one bankrolling the operation. By extorting the citizens of Makevi, he was raising enough money to fund the construction of these weapons as well as paying off the guard not to stop them. I had to get inside that mansion and eliminate Cathar; to cut off funding would be a tremendous blow to Dredloc's plan. The only problem now was actually getting inside; the area surrounding the building was crawling with guards.

I scaled a nearby building so I could have a better view of the area. The eastern side appeared to have fewer guards that the southern or western sides, so I decided that I would need to go there to begin my infiltration. I hurried through the streets to the eastern side of the property and climbed to a rooftop there. Still the problem remained of getting past them, but as I surveyed the area an idea came to me. I had seen a tailor on my way to where I now stood, so I climbed back down to the street and head there.

"How may I serve you?" asked the shopkeeper when I approached him.

"I just need a strip of cloth," I told him. "It doesn't have to be anything fancy, either. Here is a red rupee. I think that will more than cover what I owe you for it." He handed me a long strip of cloth woven from shadows and I tucked it into my belt. I needed to return to my rooftop in order to execute my plan, so I returned to where I had been studying the area. Once there, I removed a smoke bomb that Ezio had given me from my pouch, and fashioned the cloth strip into a type of sling. I placed the smoke bomb inside and began to sling it around over my head.

"I just hope this draws their attention long enough," I said under my breath as I let the bomb fly. It hit the ground near the guards at the southern end of the property, and a thick cloud of smoke began to billow out.

"Someone is here!" I heard one of the guards shout, and I thanked the gods under my breath as the guards blocking my path hurried over to where the smoke was. I took my opportunity to streak through to the building. I picked the lock to the door with my hidden blade as I had seen Ezio do before and entered, being sure to shut and lock the door behind me.

I wasn't sure what this room was used for, but it didn't appear to be much as there was no form of artificial light. That was good for me, as it allowed me to stay hidden in the shadows. I could not believe my luck; Cathar did not appear to be home, nor were there any guards stationed inside the house. Cathar must have fancied himself wealthy enough to afford guards effective enough to keep any intruder from reaching his home. I traipsed through the house until I reached the bedroom. I entered, and took my hiding place in the rafters. All I had to do now was wait.

I stayed all day perched above Cathar's bedroom. Finally, as the sky changed to dark twilight, Cathar entered. He changed into his sleeping clothes and settled in, secure in his knowledge that nothing was out of the ordinary.

With a tremendous crash, the mattress hit the floor as the bed frame collapsed under the force of me dropping from the ceiling onto Cathar's chest. Before he had any time to react, I had him straddled with my hidden blade pressed against his throat.

"What is Dredloc planning?" I demanded.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said with difficulty.

"Don't lie to me," I hissed. "Now, I'll ask again, what is Dredloc planning? How does he intend to return Zant to life?"

The corners of Cathar's mouth twisted into a sick kind of smile. "Perhaps the others will betray him, but I will not." As he said this, he seized my wrist in both hands and drove the point of my blade into his neck. He was dead in minutes. Knowing I could do no more, I retracted my blade and closed the lids over his eyes.

"_Requiescat in pace_," I said solemnly.

* * *

><p>"What do you mean we can't keep going?" Mason demanded. I realized then I had been removed from the memory.<p>

"Just what I said," Caroline replied. "We don't want our own Subject 16 or 17, do we?"

"No, I suppose you're right," admitted Mason. "Alright, Mr. Fox, you're free to go for today."

I hated to admit it, but I wasn't sure I was ready to leave the animus. After what I'd seen in there, I wanted to know what Dredloc had in store.

"Don't worry, we're almost there," said Caroline. At that moment, I wasn't sure which one of us she was talking to, but a look between us suggested it was me.

What the hell was going on?

* * *

><p><em>AN: Just wanted to give a shout-out to <strong>TwiliRupee<strong>. I've borrowed some things from her in the past with her permission, and I wanted to give her a nod now since _hestur fulgar_ is her invention as well. Go read some her stuff._


	8. Memory Sequence 7

_I do hope you enjoy._**  
><strong>

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><p><strong>The Legend of Midna: Twilight Creed<strong>

**Chapter Eight: Memory Sequence 7**

"Ah, Mr. Fox, ready to go, I see," said Mason when he opened the door to my room. I was already standing; I couldn't wait to get back in the animus and find out what was going on.

"You bet, Doc," I said cheerfully. I doubt he caught the underlying dig at him, but it didn't make any difference, really.

"Let's get on with it then," he said as we strode over to the machine. "Time's wasting."

* * *

><p>"So more of the story is revealed to us," said Machiavelli when he had finished reading the note I had stolen, which had been meant for Cathar. I had already shown Ezio and La Volpe.<p>

"It seems that Cathar was not only planning on buying off the guards to prevent them from stopping his plans," Ezio said, addressing Link, "but he apparently is also funding the Demien brothers. They have kidnapped an engineer and are forcing this person to design and build siege weapons."

"We believe Dredloc plans to assault the Palace," I said, "once Zant has been returned to life."

"So it's as we feared, then," Link sighed. "Dredloc is a fierce enemy. He is a wicked mercenary, and I couldn't tell you how many men he's killed with deadly cunning. We must work quickly if we are to foil his plans."

"Then we must make haste to Res Nam," said Ezio. "Link, it is on the surface as well, no?"

"It is," said Link. "It's directly under the island that bears the floating lake where Quetzala's shade well can be found."

"I do not know what that means," said Ezio, "but what I do know is that we must hurry. When will the next ship be ready to go down?"

"Already taken care of," said Link. "I knew that since our next target was Res Nam it would be necessary to return to the surface, so there is already a ship waiting for you."

"_Eccellente_," said La Volpe. "So I'm assuming we'll do this as we did in Makevi?"

"_Sì_," said Ezio. "I think it is clear that Shweenog can handle himself in the field, but it never hurts to have backup."

* * *

><p>I had been to Res Nam before, but only once, and that was years ago. I had forgotten what it was like. In many ways it was much like Makevi or the Floating City, but unlike those cities, which at least were touched by the half-light of light twilight, Res Nam was covered entirely by the shadow of the island floating high above. The southwest side also had a view of the river that flowed up from the surface to the lake, something which the Italians had a hard time processing.<p>

"Water is not supposed to flow up," La Volpe insisted. "Especially not unsupported like that."

"I keep telling you," I said light-heartedly, "that our worlds do not necessarily follow the same rules." Although it was fun to listen to their incredulity, I had to remain focused on the task at hand. It was my job to end two Twili's lives.

"Ezio," I said, "perhaps you could use your talents to help us find the direction we need to go."

"I don't think it will be that difficult," said La Volpe. "Just look for some type of construction yard and they can't be too far off."

"We should ask someone for directions," Ezio suggested. "It would be foolish to go in blindly."

* * *

><p>"<em>Nà ētúā ffěindātérěiz zíthèm ŏ qýs'rēxònè(to the east you will find the construction site),<em>" a Twili shopkeeper told me. I did the talking because I thought it would be safer to use the Twili language, and the Italians had not yet mastered the intricacy of it. Not to mention the fact that any Twili would recognize that it was not their first language from their accents. "_Bèt ýð fùrø ŏ qĭtŏ_."

"_Mālùþ,_" I replied with a short bow.

After we had gone out of earshot, Ezio leaned in to whisper in my ear. "What did he say?"

"He said the construction site is just outside of town, to the east," I said.

We continued on until we reached the other side of the city, and sure enough, we were met by a walled-in construction yard. It appeared to be unattended at the moment, but there had clearly been activity there recently.

"This reminds me of the time I had to destroy Leonardo's war machines," Ezio mused. "We should be cautious."

"Always," said La Volpe. Together we entered the construction yard, keeping our eyes peeled for any sign of movement. After a few moments of nothing, I spotted someone, who spotted me at the same moment. The person darted off toward a large edifice which was likely some type of warehouse. Immediately I took off after him, with Ezio and La Volpe close behind.

"Shweenog!" Ezio shouted. "You go on ahead after him, and Volpe and I will cut him off. He cannot run from all directions!" I didn't give a reply other than a nod as I kept on after him in hot pursuit.

When I finally caught up with him, La Volpe already had him pinned to the ground. He looked up expectantly at me. "Tell him to tell you where the Demien twins are."

I leaned down over him and extended my hidden blade so that the tip pressed dangerously against his throat. "_Nà'm sāré ò bènt jímíněiĭ Dēmièn (where are the Demien twins),_" I demanded. Fear filled his eyes.

"_Bènt nā sŭníþ ŏ ēðíf (they're at the top of the building),_" he stammered. "_Māþāð, hè'm tŭrèěiz (Please, don't kill me)._"

"_Hè prø èm sās ò qìnù ffěindātér jèniýr,_" I said. I pressed the tip of my blade a bit further into his throat.

"_Ýà, ýà,ès sārù,_" he said as he tried not to puncture his throat with the tip of my blade. "_Jèniýr bèt nā lèðā fěir ŏ zíthā._"

"_Mālùþ,_" I said, and sunk my blade into his throat, silencing him forever.

"What was all that?" La Volpe demanded. "What did he say?"

"He told me that the Demien twins are at the top of the warehouse," I said, "and also that the engineer they have taken captive is being held on the other side of the construction yard."

"The engineer, yes," said La Volpe. "I had nearly forgotten. Ezio!" Ezio had just rounded the corner to find La Volpe and myself.

"Forgive me," he panted as he came to a halt. "I took a long route in case he got away. So, what have we learned?"

"That our targets are up there," said La Volpe, pointing to the top of the warehouse, "and that their prisoner is over there somewhere," he said, gesturing to the other side of the yard.

"So, what shall our next move be?" I asked.

"There are two of them," said Ezio, "and three of us. I say two of us go and eliminate the Demiens while the other goes to rescue the engineer. Volpe, are you up to joining Shweenog?"

"Ezio," La Volpe began, "you know I don't have the taste for combat that you do. The two of you should go, and I'll release the prisoner."

"Very well." Ezio then turned to me. "Do you remember the skills Volpe taught you? Because we're about to do a lot of climbing."

* * *

><p>We climbed for what felt like ages. At one point I felt as though my arms would fall right out of their sockets, but soon we had reached the roof of the warehouse. I took a quick glance to see, for curiosity's sake, just how high we had climbed, and the sight was so dizzying I nearly fell off the side. I had to drop to one knee just to steady myself, but once I regained my composure, Ezio and I started off toward a small building on the roof.<p>

"That must be the exit to the roof from inside," Ezio said aloud. "We have only seen one person in this whole place, so it is hard to say if it will be guarded or not."

"Do you have a plan, then?" I asked.

"You have a sword, do you not?" Ezio asked.

"Of course," I answered. "The blade is of finely crafted shadow steel. Very strong, and weighs nearly nothing."

"_Eccellente_," said Ezio. "Okay, here is what we will do. You ready your blade; you will be going in there, down the stairs. I will climb down a ways and try to find another way into the building, through a window most likely. I will meet you inside."

"_Capisco_," I said with a nod. I turned my attention to the entrance to the stairwell, and started down.

Inside was dark and dusty, lit every so often with glass spheres mounted to the walls that glowed a soft amber color. It provided very little light to see by, but that also meant little light to be seen by. I reached the bottom of the stairs and found myself in a long hallway. I could hear muffled voices up ahead; they sounded like they were having an argument. I followed the voices until I reached a plain wooden door. They were definitely arguing about something.

"I don't know where he is," I heard one say. "Am I his keeper?"

"Don't give me that!" the other shouted back. "You know how important this is. Without those funds, the whole enterprise is ruined, and the master will have our scalps! Now get out of here, and don't come back until you've found him!"

"Yes, Master Demien," said the other man, clearly cowed by Demien's anger. I knew then that this was my chance. One of my marks was on the other side of that door. I would not get another opportunity like this.

As the unnamed Twili came through the door, I pressed myself against the wall into the shadows. Thankfully he didn't see me, and I silently slipped through the door while it was open. Demien had his back to me, clearly trying to calm himself after that last outburst. I crept up behind him, and before he knew what was happening I had my hidden blade against his throat.

"Tell me," I began, "what is the purpose of this construction yard?"

"I'll tell you nothing," he spat, although I did note the slight quaver to his voice. I extended the blade a bit farther, so that it threatened to pierce his windpipe.

"Are you sure you don't want to reconsider?" I hissed. "I'll ask again, what is the purpose of this place?"

"Alright, I'll tell you," he conceded. "Master Dredloc – yes, I know you know his name by now – has ordered the construction of war machines for when the true King of Twilight returns."

"He intends to use these against the palace, then?"

"Of course he does," Demien continued. "First the palace, and then the rest of the world."

"And by that you mean the Twilight Realm."

"No," he said. "I mean first the palace, then Hyrule and Termina, and I'm sure that Master Dredloc will then suggest he go after your friends' home now as well."

"We'll see," I said, trying to sound threatening, although a wave of panic had just spread through me. I hadn't considered Zant attacking Italy as well.

"If that's all, then go ahead and kill me," Demien said.

"Not yet," I said. "Tell me where your brother is."

"He's downstairs, overseeing the construction of parts," Demien said.

"I see." I was ready to be done with him. "There's one more thing I need to know."

"And what is that?" he sneered.

"Where is Dredloc?"

He began to laugh as much as the hidden blade at his throat would allow. "That, I cannot tell you. He does not reveal where he goes to us. I can promise you this, though: when he is ready for you to find him, you will. Or rather, he will find you."

I didn't like the way that last line sounded, but I refused to show it. "Anything else you'd like to confess before I end your miserable life?"

"Just that my only regret is that I won't see the true King returned to life," he said with conviction. "I do not fear death. Be done with it, then."

"As you wish," I said, and plunged the hidden blade the rest of the way through his neck. He fell with a muffled thud to the floor.

I left the office and headed towards the stairs at the other end of the hall. From there I could see the factory floor. Many Twili men were slaving away at forges, but I could see one who was not. He didn't appear to be doing anything other than walking around the floor bullying others and forcing them to slave away at the forges. That had to be the other Demien brother. I had found my second mark.

Something started to bother me, though. Where was Ezio? He had said he would meet back up with me inside. I assumed by that he had meant that he would take down one brother and I would take the other. However, Ezio was nowhere in sight. I began to worry.

Still, this was no time to let my focus be distracted. I had a job to do. There was a Demien brother in my sight, and it was my job to make sure he never breathed again. I had gotten all the useful information I could think of from his brother, so there was nothing left to do but to kill this one and be done.

I crouched down and made my way out onto a catwalk high above the factory floor. I found myself in a dilemma: how could I go about killing this Demien brother without being seen? Then inspiration struck; it was not a very good plan, but it was the best I could come up with. I took out my entire supply of smoke bombs and tossed them all down to the floor. Soon, the entire building was full of smoke. I could hear coughing and panicked shouting, and it was then I shouted "Fire!" Soon enough, factory workers were running toward the door.

In that confused moment, I leaped from the catwalk and fell upon the Demien brother. I couldn't see anything once I had breached the smoke, so I didn't see where my blade had struck, but I told myself it was his heart, if for no other reason than that it was a satisfying thought. For good measure, I heaved his lifeless body off the floor and tossed it into a forge. I then hurried outside with the rest of the workers.

"It's alright," I told them once I was outside. "The fire is under control."

"What about Master Demien?" one asked. I don't see him anywhere.

"I was not able to save him," I said. I told myself that technically it wasn't a lie; by killing him, I hadn't been able to save his life. "You may all go home. In fact, I suggest you do so right away." Some nodded in agreement, but all hurried out of the construction yard. Then I turned my attention back to Ezio. Where was he? He had said he would try to enter through a window, so I ran back around the building.

To my horror, I found Ezio lying on the ground. His left leg stuck out at a bizarre angle, and I could see the tip of bone protruding from just below his kneecap.

"_Dio mio!_" I cried as I hurried over to him. He appeared to breathing, but he was in terrible shape. As I crouched down next to him, his eyes fluttered open.

"Shweenog?" he said groggily. "Is that you?"

"_Sì_," I said, relieved that he was alive. "_Sì, sono io._ What happened to you, _Maestro_?"

"One of the bricks in the wall came loose," he said with a moan. "I was not able to keep my grip on the wall, and I fell. To be honest, I am surprised that I survived."

"Well, _grazie a Dio_ that you did."

"Ezio!" came another voice from around the corner. I turned to look, and found La Volpe running towards us.

"Is he…" La Volpe began.

"Dead?" Ezio finished for him. "No. Not yet, anyhow."

"What of the Demien brothers?" La Volpe asked.

"I saw to both of them," I said. "One told me that this place was meant for the construction of war machines. Apparently Dredloc wanted to have a siege army ready for Zant. He also said that Dredloc never revealed to any of them where he can be found. He said, 'when he is ready for you to find him, you will. Or rather, he will find you'."

"That doesn't sound good," said Ezio, "but at least it's something." He turned to look at La Volpe. "What of the engineer? Did you find the prisoner?"

"I did, as a matter of fact." La Volpe seemed very proud of himself. "In fact, he wants to see you. Here he is." The engineer came around the corner. It seemed that he had been staying out of sight until he received his cue from La Volpe.

"Leonardo!" Ezio's face lit up to see his old friend again. He tried to get to his feet, but the pain in his leg forced him back down again.

"Ezio, we need you to get you to a doctor," said Leonardo.

"I will be fine," Ezio insisted. "Leonardo, what are you doing here?"

"I'll tell you all about it," he said, "but for now, we need to get that leg of yours fixed up. Oh, and Ezio," he said.

"Yes, what is it, Leonardo?"

"_Vederti ancora è tanto buono._"


	9. Memory Sequence 8

**The Legend of Midna: Twilight Creed**

**Chapter Nine: Memory Sequence 8**

"Well, I think it is safe to say that I will not be out assassinating anyone any time soon," Ezio said as light-heartedly as he could. The palace doctors had set to work on resetting his leg as soon as they had returned to the hideout, and he was now recovering from his injury.

"I still cannot believe you survived that fall," said La Volpe incredulously. "Perhaps you are getting to old to do this, Ezio. Had you considered that?"

"Too old?" Ezio looked hurt. "Volpe, I will never be too old for this. I bet I will still be out doing this when I am fifty."

"Alright," said La Volpe, "I'll take that bet. What do you wager?"

"A thousand florins?"

"Sounds good to me," said La Volpe. "I will see you again in twenty years so that you can pay up."

"We will see, _amico mio_," Ezio chortled to himself. "We will see. So Leonardo, you never did tell me what you were doing back at that construction yard with the Demien brothers. I have put two and two together enough to know that you were their prisoner, but how?"

"It is a mystery to me as well," said Leonardo. "I had moved to Clos Lucé, as I'm sure you remember me telling you I would, and one day they just appeared. It was as if they just walked right out of the shadows."

"They probably did," I interjected. "Some Twili can perform a bit of shadow magic called Shadowjumping. It allows one to travel between shadows."

"_Fascinante_," Leonardo said, more to himself than to me. "I don't know how they knew to come after me. I suppose somewhere along the line they heard about me building siege weapons for Cesare Borgia, but where they would have gotten that information, I cannot say. Nor do I know how they knew I would be in Francia rather than Italia. All I know is that one day I was working on some designs, and they just appeared. They clubbed me over the head, and the next thing I knew I was in that construction yard."

"Well, we're just glad to have you away from those men," said Link, who had been listening intently to Leonardo's story.

"_Grazie_, Your Highness," he said. "Don't get me wrong, I have wanted to see the Twilight Realm for myself for quite some time. I had just hoped it would be on my own terms."

"Quite understandable," said Ezio. "I am sorry it had to be that way." He turned to look at Link. "There is something I need to discuss with you." He turned to cast his gaze on the rest of us. "Alone," he added.

As the rest of us got up to make our way to various parts of the hideout, I couldn't help but wonder what Ezio was talking about. What did he need to talk to Link about, and why could he not talk about it in front of the rest of us?

* * *

><p>"Shweenog," Ezio said to me one day in the hideout, "have you ever seen the rest of the palace?"<p>

"No," I answered. "You know that. I – we – have all been confined to this hideout. Not that I haven't wanted to go exploring the place, of course."

"Well, tonight I am going to show you something in this palace that you will never forget."

"If I may be so bold," I asked, "might I ask what it is?"

A sly smile appeared at the corner of Ezio's mouth. "Alright, I will tell you." He rummaged through a pouch at his belt and removed something small. I couldn't really tell what it was until he held it up to me. It was a silver ring with a red stone set into it, and something white carved into the stone. Upon further inspection I could see that it was the Assassin's symbol.

"Tonight," Ezio said, "on the palace roof, we will have a ceremony. He doesn't know this, but tonight I am making Leonardo an honorary Assassin. He does not wish to fight with us, and I accept his decision, but he has done too much for us to not receive some kind of recognition in return."

"Well," I said, "that is certainly some exciting news."

"Yes," said Ezio. "Once dark twilight has fallen, we will commence with the ceremony. I still have not quite learned to recognize when this is, so I have arranged for a servant to come and bring the two of you up to the roof. Link, La Volpe, and I will already be up there to prepare for the ceremony."

"Why can't I help?" I asked, perhaps sounding a bit more indignant than I had intended.

"You are not yet a true Assassin," Ezio reminded me. "As such, the ceremony is not for your eyes to see before it is time. You are lucky; ordinarily an apprentice would not ever see this ceremony until he is to become a master."

"_Capisco_," I said.

"Now, I must go and see to the preparations," Ezio said, and started to limp towards the passage that Link used to go between the palace and the hideout. "I will see you tonight."

* * *

><p>"Masters Llwynog and Leonardo," called the servant from the passageway, "it is time. You are to come with me."<p>

Leonardo and I shared a look. We followed in silence as the servant lead us up through the palace to the roof. As we walked, I thought my neck might break from overuse as I turned my head this way and that, trying to take in all the sights of the palace. I would likely never get this chance again.

The scene before me on the roof was beautiful and terrifying at the same time. There was a red carpet laid out, with banners bearing the Assassin's symbol on either side of the carpet. Link, Midna, Ezio, La Volpe, and Machiavelli all stood around a great stone basin full of burning embers. Together, the two of us walked down the aisle to stop in front of the congregation.

"Leonardo da Vinci," said Ezio. "It is with great pride and honor that I ask you to step forward." Leonardo approached Ezio and stood next to the stone basin.

"Leonardo da Vinci," Ezio continued. "No one outside our order has done more for this brotherhood than you have. I have asked you several times to join our ranks, and each time you have declined. I accept that. However, I believe that such service should not go without recognition. Therefore, it is with great pride that I bestow upon you this ring. I, Ezio Auditore da Firenze, do hereby name you, Leonardo da Vinci, an honorary Assassin."

Applause rang out through the still dark twilight air. Ezio slid the ring onto Leonardo's right-hand ring finger, and presented the new honorary Assassin to the rest of the group. As Leonardo made to kiss Midna's hand, I noticed that she, too, also wore an honorary ring.

"Shweenog," Ezio called out, and the rooftop was once again silent. "Please step forward."

Panic and excitement swept through me. Could what I thought was happening actually be happening?

"_Laa shay'a waqi'un moutlaq bale kouloun moumkine_," said Ezio. "These are the words of our ancestors." Machiavelli handed him a pair of iron tongs from within the basin.

"Hold out your left hand," Ezio said to me, and to me alone. "This only hurts for a little while." He clamped the tongs down over my hand. The pain was incredible, but I gritted my teeth and bore it. As he took the tongs away, I looked down at the new Assassin's mark now branded to the flesh of my hand.

"Let us say it together now," he said to all of use. Together we chanted:

"Nothing is true; everything is permitted. We work in the shadows to serve the light. We are Assassins."

Ezio gave me a knowing look, but he didn't have to say anything. I nodded that I understood, and walked towards the edge of the palace. I spread my arms wide, and without ever looking back, performed the leap of faith.


	10. Memory Sequence 9

_Well fo__lks, here it is, the end. I hope you've enjoyed it; I have. Be sure to check out TwiliRupee's story "LoZ: Twilight's Retun", as she allowed me to write this as a prequel. Also, I'd like to thank her again for allowing me to do that and to use Dredloc in this story. _**  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>The Legend of Midna: Twilight Creed<strong>

**Chapter Ten: Memory Sequence 9**

"Good morning, Mr. Fox," said Mason in that oh-so condescending way of his. "We've got –"

"Work to do," I interrupted. "I know." I acted like I was tired of his shit, which I was, but I was also just as eager to get into the animus as he was for me to. I couldn't let him know that, though. No way was I going to let that prick think I wanted to do him any favors.

"Let's get to it, then," he said.

* * *

><p>"So, I realize that we all already know this," said La Volpe, "but we have a problem. We have eliminated all the conspirators, and none of them could tell us where Dredloc will be, so we have no way to find him."<p>

"We will think of something," said Ezio. "Do not give up hope. There is always a way."

"Ezio's right," I said. "With all his lackeys dead, Dredloc will have no choice but to come out into the open if he still wants to execute his plan."

"I think you'll be please with what just arrived, then," said Link from behind us. He brandished a small bit of parchment as he came through the passage from the palace to the hideout. "We've found out where Dredloc will be."

"Is that so?" asked Machiavelli.

"It is," Link affirmed. "This arrived a few moments ago. I read it, and it turns out this is actually from Dredloc. It says, 'Well done eliminating my cohorts. However, I think you'll find that it makes no difference. I will return the True King of Twilight to his rightful throne, and there is nothing you can do to stop this from happening. Still, I applaud your tenacity in this struggle, and I know how desperately you wish to see me dead, so I will humor you with a final battle. At the fall of dark twilight you will find me in the central square. Do not be afraid, for although you will come to die, I will do everything in my power to ensure that you slip into the void with as little pain as possible. – Dredloc'."

"He certainly seems confident," Ezio remarked.

"Well," I said, "it would appear that we must face him. At least we know where to find him."

"Yes," Ezio said, "but I am not sure how much use I will be in the fight. My leg has still not healed."

"Well, listen," I said, "if it gets to the point where we're overwhelmed, you all need to just go through the mirror and return to Italia. There's no sense in abandoning the rest of your world for this one. We can always destroy the mirror, and that will prevent Zant and Dredloc from leaving this world."

"We would never -"

"Llwynog is right," said Machiavelli. "He speaks with wisdom beyond his years. If Dredloc turns out to be too overwhelming, confining the Usurper King to this world will be better than nothing."

"As unfortunate as it," said Link, "I have to agree. I can always defeat Zant again if I have to, and I have the Sword of Kings down in the vaults if I have to use it again."

"Then it is settled," said Ezio. "We will meet Dredloc on his terms. We must be ready for anything."

* * *

><p>Dark twilight came, and our group of Assassins stepped out into the central square. The air was still and cold and we were alone. Not a sound could be heard. For a moment the thought crossed my mind that Dredloc may have been bluffing, but soon after we arrived a shadow appeared. It coalesced, and there before us stood the villain. He was covered in a black outfit, likely made from woven shadow. His eyes were cold and filled with hate.<p>

"So," he drawled in that deep, velvety voice of his, "you came."

"Yes," said Ezio. "We came, and we will see you defeated."

"Oh, I highly doubt that," said Dredloc. His eyes narrowed into a hateful glare. "You see, I know what you suspected about me, and you were correct." He held up a glowing orb. "You suspected that there was an Apple in the Twilight Realm, and that I may have been in possession of it. Well, you can surely see with your own eyes. Everything you suspected was correct."

"It will make no difference," I said. "Not if we have anything to say about it, at least."

"Well," said Dredloc, "I suppose we will see, won't we? But four against one hardly seems fair. Maybe we should even the odds a bit." He held up the orb, which I now knew to be an Apple of Eden, and before my eyes, and to my horror, I saw Dredloc split into four identical Dredlocs.

"Now, four on four," he drawled. "That does seem a bit more even, I think."

Each Dredloc drew a long, curved black blade. The Assassins drew our blades as well. The time had come for the fight.

All four Dredlocs rushed us at once. We were prepared, and were able to counter their attacks, but it was not easy. Dredloc was fast, which meant his doubles were as well. He was also incredibly skilled with a blade. The rush of the battle was disorienting. Fists and blades were flying, and it was hard to tell one person from another, or really see what was happening.

"We must fall back!" I heard Machiavelli shout over the din of battle. "We cannot keep on."

"Go!" I shouted back. I fought even more furiously, trying to distract Dredloc from the fleeing Italians. It was then I saw an opening. One of the Dredlocs had noticed the other Assassins, and in his moment of hesitation I swung my obsidian sword and caught him just above the left elbow. His arm from there down was severed. A spray of blue blood erupted from the wound. I turned to face another Dredloc, but it was then I felt a hand on my left shoulder. I turned my head in an instinctive reaction, but it was too late. The other hand was already in motion, and I had no time to stop the obsidian dagger from stabbing into my chest. I felt the tip of the black blade pierce my heart.

My vision went black for a split second, and it returned to me just in time to see myself being jettisoned from the animus onto the laboratory floor. I waited for a moment, breathing rapidly, trying to recover from the shock of having just been stabbed in the heart, and as I lay on the floor panting, I saw Caroline Hawking removing a hidden blade from just under Dr. Mason's left shoulder blade. I knew that he was dead before he hit the floor.

"Come on," she said hurriedly. "We've got to get you out of here."

"What -"

"There's no time," she said. "Mason was a Templar, just like the rest of Abstergo. I killed him, but more will be on their way. All that matters now is that you're alive. Now come on, we've got to hurry."

* * *

><p>From there on it gets hazy. I can't remember much of the escape, just that Caroline and I rushed through the building until we found Ramayan waiting with a van. I was lying down in the back seat, still trying to recover from dying in the animus, so I didn't see much of the trip. I don't know when I'll have computer access again, and I don't know where we'll go from here. Hell, I don't even know if we'll make it out of here alive. There's only one thing now that I do know for certain, and that's that nothing is true, everything is permitted.<p>

I am an Assassin.


End file.
